The masses have asked (no one asked I just wanted to do this), and I’ve heard your pleas. I’m here to deliver you the hottest (as if) ranking of the season: princesses. Now, I know this can be a controversial topic. Who do you include? What are you judging them on? I’ve included the main princesses and left out others like Giselle (you probably don’t even know who that is to be honest). I’m also a super-qualified ranker that lacks any bias in this subject (sarcasm, guys, sarcasm). So, without further ado, here are the princesses I love the most and the ones that just don’t quite cut it for me.
1. Snow White
Before any Snow White fans get rowdy, hear me out. She’s boring. Sorry, I said what I said. I love her, I love the history of her as the first princess, but she doesn’t have a lot going on. Plus, her voice is a bit… much. (She gives me headaches.)
2. Aurora/Sleeping Beauty
Aurora is pretty much in the same boat as Snow White. She doesn’t do much, and actually only had 18 lines in the whole movie. However, she’s a bit more relatable because she takes one long nap.
3. Jasmine
Here’s where it gets a bit trickier. I love Jasmine, but I have to bump her toward the bottom of the list. She’s a bit whiney and complains about living an extravagant life, and says this while kind of disregarding the needs of her people. Also, let’s be honest, Aladdin is the real star.
4. Elsa
I love Frozen and I love a female protagonist who can kick butt. Plus, one who doesn’t need a prince? Yes, please. However, she’s a bit dramatic (even though I am, too). She really could have avoided the entire movie plot by being honest and putting her gloves back on.
5. Pocahontas
I wish I could give her more credit, but she falls mid-way on the list mostly due to her actual movie. She’s amazing and fights for what she believes in, but she does give in quite a bit. The creators of the movie could have done a bit more with her, and there’s also a major lack of realism surrounding colonization, so I have to dock points for that.
6. Merida
This movie is so underrated and has great songs to jam out to. Again, I love the fact that she doesn’t need a man. Merida isn’t all that perfect though — she has a lot of teenage angst and ultimately is her own downfall. She and Elsa have a lot of similarities: drama, no man, and problematic. Merida is just slightly more inspiring.
7. Ariel
Ariel is a bit troublesome and, once again, we see some teenage angst. (But who can blame her? Eric is so cute!) She mostly gets this high on the list due to nostalgia. She’s a fan favorite of so many people and has one of the best movies and soundtracks. And, honestly, she goes out and gets what she wants! That’s pretty inspiring.
8. Moana
Moana is seriously a strong, powerful girl. She follows her own dreams and will stop at nothing to help another person. Plus, that girl can belt a song. She also doesn’t have a love interest like Elsa and Merida. However, unlike some other princesses, she isn’t that problematic. She just knows what she wants and what she needs to do, and she will get it done.
9. Anna
Anna is just so relatable: problems with guys, eating far too much chocolate and waking up all disheveled (me too, girl). She also has some of the best music to sing along to — it’s so fun and upbeat. I can’t wait to see what they do with her in Frozen 2 — it looks like she’ll be portrayed as a stronger female lead, and that would give her bonus points.
10. Cinderella
Again, Cinderella falls this high on the list mostly due to the fact that she’s almost the face of Disney. Her castle is the castle (Disneyworld is better than Disneyland—there I said it)! She was also dealt a pretty awful life and was kind throughout everything that was thrown at her. I wish I could be that composed.
11. Tiana
This girl is one of the most inspiring females, even though she’s animated. She works her hardest to pursue her goals,and would do anything for her family and friends. Not only that, but she would have been competing for a place in the world in a time filled with racism and sexism. Yet, she always just kept moving. I absolutely love her, and her songs are perfect to listen to if you need some motivation.
12. Mulan
Mulan is another empowering female character. (On a side note, “I’ll Make a Man Out of You” is a jam.) She literally pretends to be a man to go to war so her father doesn’t have to. In doing so, she also saves China! Mulan truly defines how amazing and powerful women are.
13. Rapunzel
Rapunzel reminds me of Cinderella in a lot of ways — they were both handed awful lives, and somehow came out sweet and caring. I just adore Rapunzel for her innocence and kindness — I wish I could be more like her. Additionally, she has a connection to animals, and that is something I desperately want. (I also desperately want Eugene.)
14. Belle
I’m kind of convinced I am Belle, so I’ll just start with that. Yes, Stockholm Syndrome is a large issue in this movie, but I try to look at it more as Belle sees inner beauty over outer beauty. She also has the best relationship with her father. She also defies social norms of the time by being a literate female, and won’t just roll over for any man who wants to marry her. (I will hereon only respond to being called Belle.)
There you have it! I truly love them all, and they all have a special place in my heart. Let me know if you agree! If you don’t, what would you change?
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